


Ice-Time Meltdown

by hollyandvice (hiasobi_writes)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hockey, Alternate Universe - Olympics, Alternate Universe - Skating, Alternate Universe - Sports, Injury, basically this is the beginning of the cutting edge au no one asked for
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 10:22:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29169528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiasobi_writes/pseuds/hollyandvice
Summary: Steve Rogers was supposed to carry the US to an Olympic gold in Sochi in 2014. Instead, he was sidelined in their final game with a concussion with much further reaching consequences than he'd expected. Two years late, he gets another chance at winning gold, just not in the way he'd expected.
Kudos: 8
Collections: POTS (18+) Stony Stocking 2020





	Ice-Time Meltdown

**Author's Note:**

  * For [starksnack](https://archiveofourown.org/users/starksnack/gifts).
  * Inspired by [shakey-shake globe land](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21496771) by [starksnack](https://archiveofourown.org/users/starksnack/pseuds/starksnack). 
  * In response to a prompt by [starksnack](https://archiveofourown.org/users/starksnack/pseuds/starksnack) in the [stony_stocking_2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/stony_stocking_2020) collection. 



> written for the following prompt for starksnack:
> 
> \--------
> 
> **Prompt:**
> 
> if you want to make art for one of my fics or write a fic for one of my art pieces you are totally welcome to!
> 
> \--------
> 
> what can i say, darlin', i wanted to give you a gift and this is the one that spoke to me. i hope you enjoy!!
> 
> thanks to folx in the pots server for the beta job! (tp be named bc ~~spoilers~~

When Yinsen comes to him, allegedly at Erskine's request, Steve's first reaction is to blow him off. He's a hockey player, not a figure skater. Always has been. Not that there's anything wrong with figure skaters (aside from how badly their damn toe picks tear up the ice), Steve just isn't one.

The only reason he got into hockey was because of Bucky's family. He'd worn girls' shoulder pads for the first six years because he fit into Bucky's sisters' old gear better than he fit into Bucky's, and that had been the best solution to the fact that his mother hadn't had the funds for a full set of gear for him. So yeah, girls' shoulder pads and a too-small pair of skates that his mother had bought on clearance (Steve had baked the skates at least three times to try to get them to fit; they just didn't) and his father's old hockey pants that had to be held up by suspenders. And then there was his helmet. That had been the one thing Sarah Rogers had insisted on buying new, no matter that it meant they were living off of beans and rice for the next four months. It hadn't mattered. "You know what the concussions did to your father. I'm not letting that happen to you." He'd skated to protect that helmet for the first six months until his mother realized what he was doin. She'd told him that if he was going to play, he might as well play. From that moment on, he did, and still managed to avoid any head injuries.

Until the Olympics two years ago. It had been five minutes before the end of the second period in the gold medal match. Steve had had the puck on his tape seconds before and had just let loose with a perfect shot over Price's left shoulder when Benn had come plowing into Steve. He'd felt his skates leave the ice and that terrible moment before he collided with the boards and fell there, prone on the ice.

Apparently Sam had been the only one that was able to keep Bucky from being ejected from the game. Steve didn't want to be Benn the next time the Rangers played the Stars.

Steve had taken hits before, but this one was different. He'd known it before the doctors did. He could feel the way something in his brain had broken, and he'd feared then that he wouldn't be able to play again. He hadn't truly believed it, but he'd started to wonder if he should start thinking about his post-hockey plan.

Except Phillips had shaken his head when he got the news from the doctors and told Steve that he wouldn't be able to return to pro hockey. And wasn't that just the kicker? He'd have been a free agent this year, and he knew Bucky had been talking to the Rangers' GM about getting Steve back in NYC with him. They'd always been incredible linemates — Steve's never made a secret of the fact that he knows Bucky was the reason any of the scouts even looked twice at him their senior year — and to be able to play together would have been incredible. Instead, he'd been sidelined with his peripheral vision in tatters after the hit. He'd never play hockey at that level again.

And the fuckers hadn't even won the gold medal. The damn Canadians had put their Captain down for the count and they hadn't even been able to win the damn game. Not that Steve was bitter about it.

(Okay, maybe he was a little bitter.)

Still, none of that explained why an Afghan figure skating coach was at his place of employment talking about winning another gold medal.

"I think you've got the wrong person, sir."

Yinsen just smiled at that. "On the contrary, Mr. Rogers, I think I have exactly the right person. You are just the kind of man I need to win Stark the gold medal he's after."

The name registers in the back of Steve's brain, but god only knew Bucky had tried to hook him up with enough figure skaters back in Sochi. Bucky had never really understood the whole demisexual thing, and Steve had never bothered to push. If he'd known that that would be his last Olympics, maybe he'd have been a little more open. Taken Bucky up on a few of those offers. As it is, he's still never been with anyone _like that_. He and Peggy had tried, but with her pay and his inability to travel, it hadn't gotten them very far. 

But that doesn't matter right now and Steve's really done with the way this damn head injury has completely destroyed his brain. Yinsen is smiling at him, calm rolling off him in waves. For the first time since Erskine had pulled him aside at training camp years ago, Steve feels like he's in the presence of someone that might actually know what they're talking about.

If only he'd been paying attention.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Yinsen. I can't do it."

"You don't even know what I'm asking you to do."

"Skate. You're asking me to skate again."

"You don't want that?"

"I can't want that."

"Because you can't play hockey anymore."

"Because I can't _skate_ anymore."

"Is that what you believe? Or are you just repeating what the doctors told you."

Steve's heart lurches. He doesn't like it when people can see straight through him. "I know my body, Mr. Yinsen. I know what I'm capable of."

Light dances behind Yinsen's eyes. "Well. If you change your mind." He presses a card into Steve's hand, then turns away, hands shoved in his pockets in the Brooklyn cold.

Steve almost throws the card away, hating the hope that it represents. But then, he's always had hope, and this is no exception.

He pretends to forget about the card through the rest of the afternoon, and actually has forgotten about it by the time he gets back to the Bucky's flat. He's been crashing there while he works odd jobs, trying to get his feet under him, and even though he knows Bucky would never kick him out, the charity is starting to chafe. He empties his pockets as he always does, trying to move as quietly as possible. Bucky has a game tonight, and Steve knows he's probably napping. The last thing he wants to do is disrupt Bucky's sleep schedule.

He showers and changes into lounge clothes, and when he makes it back into the living room, Bucky's got the card in his hand.

"Buck?"

Bucky turns to look at him. "Did you look at this?"

"Yeah, some guy came and offered me a job. But I'm not a figure skater, Buck, and I can't skate anymore."

"Well that's bullshit."

"What?"

"You spent months in figure skates while your mom saved up for your hockey skates. You know how to skate in 'em just as well as you do hockey skates. And we both know you hate not being on the ice."

Steve shakes his head. "Bucky, I can't."

"Sure you can. Did you see what they're offering you?" he asks before Steve can insist again.

Curious, Steve makes his way to Bucky's side. Bucky hands him the card, and flips it when Steve looks at the front first. It takes a second for the number on the back to register.

Steve swallows. "That's a lot of zeroes."

"It sure is."

"I didn't think there was this much money in figure skating."

"There usually isn't. The coach that found you must be working for Stark."

Steve looks up at him. "Stark. Yeah, that's what he said."

Bucky turns away, but he has his expression schooled by the time Steve hauls Bucky back around to face him.

"What is it?" Steve asks. "What do you know about Stark?"

"Enough to know you've got your work cut out for you."

"What?"

"Come on, Steve. You've always liked a challenge."

There's no denying that. And with the month Stark and Yinsen are offering him, he can more than pay back his debt to Bucky, and that's without even—

"Is he good enough to win gold?"

Bucky laughs. "More than good enough. You don't want to walk away from this, buddy."

Steve swallowed and nodded. "Alright. If you say so."

"Then I guess it's time for you to get packing."

"What?"

"You won't want to commute from upstate every day, especially not with the hours you're gonna be keeping. Besides, Stark's gonna work you to the bone."

Steve almost backs down at that. He's nowhere near in as good of shape as he was two years ago. But the knowing look in Bucky's eyes is enough to have Steve standing up a little straighter. "You don't think they actually _want_ me there full time, do you?"

"Oh, Stevie." Bucky ruffles his hair. "I think they're counting on it."


End file.
